Cincinnati Reds Players and Coaches React to First Playoff Berth Since 2020

Cincinnati Reds Players and Coaches React to First Playoff Berth Since 2020

[Music] We’re going dancing. We fought our way here. But a tough road. We’re in it and anything can happen now. Terry Franona. If we may. You’ve done this before, Tito. You’ve been here before. This could never get old. Correct. Oh, are you kidding me? Look at this room. I mean, they deserve to blow it out. And I know we got some stuff ahead of us, but not not in the next hour. You said so many times, worry about today. Worry about today. How are you able to get this team to the finish line? You know what? They’re a team and they act like a team. They play like a team. We go through tough times like a team. Now we’re going to party a little bit like a team. You have been a player. You’ve been a manager. Can you take us through what maybe these players are going through right now? Because I know you’re more happy for them than yourself. I am so proud of them. I just I want to sit back and watch them have fun. They deserve it. Congratulations, Fred Sudter. You know what this means to Reds country, correct? 100%. Being a lifelong Reds fan, we want this. We’re going to go on a journey. This is step one of our goals. And we freaking did it, baby. We did it. We can’t kill the Reds. You can’t kill the rest. We’re in it. Let’s go. Let’s go. Yes. Thank you. Come on. Let’s go through here. Let’s keep walking through here. TJ Freedom. What’s this moment like? Nothing I’ve ever felt before. It’s amazing. Absolutely amazing. I mean, it’s incredible. Look at everyone. This is why we do it. Not done, but this part of it, and we’re going to enjoy every second of it. You guys deserve it. How are you? Oh, boy. How were you able to get to the finish line? I mean, you lose today, but you stick together. We stick together from spring training to to the last second to the last out. We stick together through the highs and the lows. There’s going to be lows, going to be highs, but as long as we stick together, and that’s what we did all year as a group. Now, Milwaukee won the game today. We talked a couple days ago. You said you didn’t want to talk too much about it, but is it sweeter here? You guys won the series to get into this in Milwaukee. We did. We did. We won the series in Milwaukee. And we we didn’t win today, but we’re still here. We’re still drinking. We’re still popping bottles. It’s It It’s great. No matter where you’re at, it’s great. But being in Milwaukee is pretty nice. Enjoy it, my friend. Enjoy it. We got Spencer Steer here. What’s this moment mean to you, Spence? This This is what it’s all about. This is This is This makes the grind of working your butt off every day. And this makes it all work. This is what it’s all about right here. I know you guys know that there’s not there’s business to be done still up ahead, but how much are you going to enjoy this day? No, we’re going to enjoy this one, man. We worked our butts off. We thought we were down and out. [Music] [Applause] Take the goggles off. Oh, no goggles off. Oh, that’s the best feeling I’ve ever had. The best feeling in the world. How good does that feel? Gavin, come on in here. Come here. What? Yes. No. No. Oh, we’ve already talked to him. This is Come on. He does it with me. Okay. Okay. Okay. Together. What’s What are the memories you’re going to take from this day? Doing it with the guys, man. I love this group. We’re all so close, man. And we were down and out so many times. People wrote us off and uh you know, you can’t kill us. Yeah. You said it. Can’t kill us cockroaches. Now, you’ve popped champagne before, but this is with a new group. Do you sense how special it is for this particular group? Uh I I don’t know. I think it’s always special. Uh anytime you get to pop champagne, you never know when it’s going to be your last one. And I think uh we’ve been through a lot of together as a team. And I think if anything, we deserve it more than more than anybody. And uh you know, I’m just excited to keep playing with them. Austin Hayes, congratulations. He’s got the victory cigar. How are you feeling right now? I feel great getting to celebrate with these guys. Every single person in this room and some other people that aren’t able to be here and celebrate with us. We all chipped in all year. Everybody thought we were out of it so many times and we kept finding a way. The next guy to step up, the next guy to step up. Every single person in here has had a tremendous part in helping us get to this moment right here. But we’re getting hot at the right time. We said it all year. We hadn’t been hot yet. We’re hot and we’re taking it into the playoffs. We’re really excited. this particular group. You know that clubhouse is going to be a unique dynamic. What’s so special about this group? I think what’s so special is what we’ve already gone through this year. We We went through Oh, it’s on top of the box. We went through so much just to get to this point. We faced so much adversity already. The fact that we’ve been able to make it into the playoffs when we’ve been down and out so many times just shows how much resilience we have and how resilient this team is and we’re never out of the fight. That’s what makes us so special. Congratulations. You guys deserve it. You’ve seen many ups and downs. How’s it feel to be playoff bound? Surreal. Um I didn’t really get to be a part of this in 20 cuz I just got sent down. So everything that we’ve been through as an organization to be here says a lot. Um man, I don’t know. This is speechless. This is surreal. Um it’s just the beginning. Hopefully many more of these. So uh we believe in this group, man. in it. Man, this is incredible. What is it like to come in here and take the series? You didn’t win today, but you had to win the series to get in in Milwaukee. Huge. Uh just the past couple years. I mean, they they’ve been the juggernaut of the organization. So, or of the division. So, um man, it’s everything. This team’s grinded. The statement at home to sweep the Cubs and to be here to give us this opportunity, man, it it says a lot about this team. And Woo! Let’s go, baby. Come in here, Andrew Abbott. Come on in here. How you guys feel right now? I mean, just popping champagne. You’ve seen I’m sure you’ve seen as a kid so many times this happened to other teams. Now it’s happened to you. Yeah. I mean, you know, without the rest of the team, we wouldn’t be possible. We knew what we had, you know, as a team coming in. You know, battery mates, you know, they’re calling the games like you’re doing a hell of a job. We’re, you know, we’re just living in the moment. We knew we had the team. team, we knew we just had to put our head down and go to work. Do you think it could do some damage once you once you get down to LA? I think so. Yeah, I think so. You know, we got we’re set up really nicely, I think. No, we’re going to play the hot hand [Music] and you know, we’re just going to have a fun time here. We’re going to enjoy it. We’re going to set our eyes on the Dodgers and go focus. What makes this group so special? You know, I think it’s a good mix. I think it’s a good mix of older guys, veterans that have been there, done that with the young guys that are trying to prove themselves, trying to establish ourselves in the game. Um, and you know, we really take a liking to each other. We feed off each other’s energy and then we let the results be what they may, but we come ready every time. Congratulations. Enjoy every second. Appreciate it. Enjoy yourself. Tenure guys around here. What’s this feeling like for you? Oh, it’s the best. I mean, we got that feel a little bit at 20, but it’s different with the co. This is by far a full season. You know, the the things we went through, like Terry said, and to come back and it’s like everybody said, you can’t kill us. You know, we got in the dance and been through the up and downs, but man, this is so sweet. This is so sweet. Is this team set up at the right time? It seems like you’re as whole as you’ve been all season and ready for the playoffs. Well, we’ve been playing good baseball. I mean, the last what week two weeks of baseball has been playoff baseball for us, do or die and and these guys have stepped up and it’s it’s it’s you know, they’re resilient. It’s a resilient group and we just keep fighting and and you know how it is once you get in, you just never know. You earned every second of this. Congratulations. All right. Thank you. Thank you. You got it. You miss a lot. You feel amazing. Hey, we now we’re here. We make it. We make it. We feel amazing. To be able to pop champagne with your friends, with your teammates, is this everything you’ve dreamed of? Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Since I came out, that’s that’s what what we wanted. We we’re all all working together to be at this moment right now. Now, you get back get to go back to LA. Do you think that you guys are poised to maybe do some damage? Yeah, absolutely. We We stay together, we play together, and we support each other, and we can do everything. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. I got to admit, I’ve just been looking around and looking at guys accepting the champagne, and you might be the most exuberant, man. How’s this feel, man? It is incredible, man. Like I said, all the hard work that we put in all year, man. And it feels good to get a champagne shower. Why this group? How were you able to do it, man? I mean, every time, no matter what, up, down, We were so level. We were so even kill, you know what I mean? And when you’re even kill like that, nothing can really affect you. So every game we came in with a clear mind, a clear heart to get the job done. Get the job done. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Congratulations. Thank you, man. I appreciate it. Yeah, you deserve it for me. Yes, sir. That’s how they earned their way in. Well, they earned their way in and they had fun all along the way. And you can see why these guys love each other. Look at Brent Sudter right here going into the pterodactyl dance. I mean, he does it and everybody around him loves him. This is the way it is for this ball club. You know, it’s kind of ball club that you watch them play and you say, “I would love to be part of a ball club like that. Everybody in this country needs to learn this dance right here. Let’s do the suitor.” I’m not sure anyone else except Prince Sudter can do that dance. But I talked you’ve ever smoked. Oh, by far nothing tastes better than the cigar and the champagne right now. How was this group able to get it done? We just believed in ourselves and we kept getting after it every day. I mean, we knew we had something special here and just and we knew it was going to come down to an end. So, we just knew we had to keep grinding after it and we’re here now and win the series against Milwaukee. Is it a little sweeter that you won that series and you’re celebrating here? Oh, yeah. You know, I mean, our whole goal was to come in and give our best chance at sweeping them just cuz I mean it’s Milwaukee. We want to beat them. I mean, we play him hard every time and you know what? We were able to get two out of three and fortunately that’s enough. And now it’s time for us to go see what happens in the postseason. Do you think you guys are primed to do some damage? You’re as whole as you’ve been all season. Oh, for sure. I mean, everybody’s clicking on all cylinders. I mean, it’s it’s about to be a fun little stretch. We just got to see what we can do. Congratulations. Thank you. We live for this moment right here. We’re having a blast. What’s this scene like for you, Nicolola? Uh, yeah. It’s just excited. I’m excited for everybody, man. Everyone works their ass off here. Um, staff included to get us to a spot to get to this moment. Um, you know, we’re not done. Uh, we obviously got some more baseball to play, but um, you know, as a starting group, uh, when you show up in spring training and, you know, we’re watching each other’s pens and stuff. You look back on that to where what we did during the year to get to where we are now. Um, you know, I’m proud of the group. Uh, obviously just proud of everybody in the room, but keep talking. You’re good. But yeah, just have the work that these guys put in, man, and it it showed up. You came out of the pin today. Was it that all hands on deck mentality, whatever it And has that been really the mantra the entire season? Yeah. Uh, you know, it was I I wanted to do anything I could to put in a position today. Obviously, uh, I mean, I didn’t throw the ball well. Um, but you know, I was excited that I got the opportunity to do it. Uh, we we don’t want to leave it up to somebody else um, you know, to to get us in, but that’s what happened. But at the end of the day, it was all hands on deck to to win the game today. Got to ask you one baseball question. You pitched today. When would you be available to pitch next? I I I couldn’t even tell you that. Um, I gave it a shot. We accomplished the first goal. We’ll uh we’ll go from there. Um, I’m sure tomorrow I’ll probably have that answer for you. Congratulations, Jordan. Thank you. Thanks, Joe. No one’s been a bigger workhorse than this guy. All worth it in the end, right? Absolutely. This is, you know, this is what one of the goals kind of in spring get to October right now. We’re just getting started. We’re in here and now we keep fighting. Obviously, I I I’ve been happy where what I’ve done this year and kind of what I’ve accomplished. But like I said, it’s just the beginning. How close is this group? Oh, extremely close. Um, we’ve Wow, that’s cold. Wow. Oh my god. We’ve said it from the beginning, right? Like we’re we’re a tight group. We fight for each other and we we don’t have any quit in us and that’s why we’ve been so close to each other and the bond’s gotten bigger as the year’s gone on and the situation has gotten tougher for us. We we’ve gotten even closer with all those. Today is great. You guys aren’t done, right? No, not even close. We got a long way to go. It’s only the beginning. Congratulations. Enjoy it. You deserve every moment. Appreciate it. Thank you. President of baseball operations, Nick Crawl. Are you almost like a proud father standing in here watching this celebration? I told you this morning when we talked, I couldn’t be more proud of this group one way or the other. And you know, like obviously it’s not really the way you went back in, but at the same time, this group is really grinded all year. And I I can’t be more happy and more proud of this group. Um, you know, I I said this to Tommy earlier. You know, you got Spencer Steer who had had a shoulder issue in in April, couldn’t couldn’t play the field, and he grind himself all he grinded himself all the way through to the end of the season. Austin Hayes, Hely de La Cruz, you guys, you got Nick Martinez and Chase Burns who have taken different roles. Connor Phillips taken two years to come back from where he was. And you know, to see this group gel and and and keep grinding. It’s been a lot of fun. And I I I just I can’t appreciate uh them all, everybody, you know, and it’s awesome for the the coaching staff, the clubhouse staff, the training room, the the the strength guys, everybody that’s in it. And I really appreciate Oh, that’s cold. I like that. At least it’s on camera. Yes, absolutely. There were times where I’m sure you even had doubts where it wasn’t going. It’s been a roller coaster ride when several players have said, “You can’t kill us. We’re like cockroaches.” How has this group been able to hold it together? And how much did the hiring of Terry Fran Kona lead today? I mean, this group is such a high character group that they grind through this. They grind through it every day and what they do is just is so much fun to watch. It’s, you know, what Tito brings is a calming presence, but at the same time, it’s it’s, you know, where he is as a baseball guy, you know, and just, you know, he loves every one of these guys as well. So, it’s been great to have all these guys in here this year. It is not easy to have your job. Deserve every moment of this. Enjoy every single moment of today. Thanks, Jim. I really appreciate you. You got it. And they can’t kill training. You and I did a podcast. You said, “I’m not just blowing smoke. I’ve been to the I’ve been to the playoffs. I’ve been to the World Series. This group has something special.” They do. Yeah. How do you feel about it today? I mean, this is what it’s all about. Um, there’s a lot of people in this organization, this clubhouse right now that have waited for a moment like this. Um, I mean, we got a lot of steps that we still got to take, but I mean, this is one of the first of many, man. And I mean, you set that winning culture. You show people that there’s winners in this clubhouse. Um, and we have what it takes. We’ve said that from the beginning. We have what it takes in here. Um, I mean, it’s it’s a feeling you can’t really explain, man. But you look around the clubhouse, everybody has their own story, but in order to get to where we want to go, everybody has to pitch in. And everybody’s done that. Congratulations. Thank you.

Cincinnati Reds Players and Coaches React to First Playoff Berth Since 2020